Yule Log
by Writer Maestro
Summary: Harry is making Christmas cake. Tonks is successfully covering a chocolate-cream Yule log with her own chocolate icing. What Maraudering mischief can Remus get up to?


**Yule Log**

**SUMMARY: **_Harry is making Christmas cake. Tonks is successfully covering a chocolate-cream Yule log with her own chocolate icing. What Maraudering mischief can Remus get up to?_

The delicious aroma of melted chocolate wafted up the stairs, towards the drawing room of the Black Manor House, instantly drawing the attention of a chocolate-loving werewolf named Remus Lupin. He looked up from the book he was reading, _Death on the Nile_ by Agatha Christie, and inhaled deeply; eyes closing in intricate pleasure of his favourite unsavoury food being melted until it was thick and gooey, just right for a chocolate fountain, or a Yule log… Unconsciously, he placed his book down beside him after dog-earing the page he had reached, got up from his place on the sofa, and traipsed toward the kitchen, lost in a ream of endless dreams about chocolate, and chocolate books, and a pale woman he was definitely in love with in a tight swimsuit that clearly defined her hourglass-figure…

His eyes snapped open, and he madly shook his head to rid the image of an almost-naked Nymphadora Tonks from his mind. He shuddered as a bolt of pleasure electrocuted him from the core, right down to the tips of his toes and fingers. He smiled softly as he reached out a hand to push the door to the kitchen open.

Once inside the large room, he could see that his best friend's godson was covering a Christmas fruit cake Molly Weasley had baked in an angrily calm way. His chest was heaving as he tried to cover the edge that led down to the side of the cake in creamy-white vanilla icing. A bag of marzipan decorations sat next to the bowl of vanilla icing sugar-cream. Remus bit his lip as he saw that Harry Potter looked ready to throw a meat knife at something. He cautiously ambled over, and, peering over Harry's shoulder, said hoarsely – due to the cold he had caught quite recently – "What you doing?"

Harry visibly jumped; he looked round at Remus, who calmly raised an eyebrow at him, obviously amused to see him getting angry at a fruit cake and some flavoured icing – it was obvious that the werewolf was laughing inside because of the small smile hinted at the edge of his mouth. He shrugged, indifferent as he muttered, "Trying – and failing – to cover this fucking Christmas fruit cake."

Remus rolled his eyes; and his heart instantly leapt as he saw Tonks calmly covering a chocolate Yule log with chocolate icing. _So that's what the chocolaty smell was…_ He pointed at her, pretending to be just curious, rather than excited (in more ways than one) at seeing Tonks working; and the way she was gently swaying her hips in time to a Christmas song that she was listening to in her earphones… He could feel the drool forming in his mouth, threatening to spill over his lips as he caught sight of her smaller-than-average hips, leading down to an arse that he wanted to pinch so badly…

Harry looked over at Tonks, and thought disbelievingly: _How in the name of heck does she cover the Yule log so calmly? Maybe listening to Christmas songs will help me out…_ Slowly pulling out his MP3 Player and JVC headphones with red covers over the ear-pieces, he said, "Covering the chocolate log Kingsley brought over last night. His wife made the log, and Tonks made the chocolate icing by herself… Hey, where are you going? She won't hear you, she's listening to her MP3 Player!" he added, as Remus turned around, and instantly headed over to the young woman.

But Remus ignored him, and Harry saw, with wonder, the slightly feral look in his eyes. But the feral gold in his eyes was suddenly over-taken by the Maraudering look that replaced it; Harry wondered… No. It couldn't be. Of course, he couldn't see Remus's sudden excitement at seeing Tonks in the tight tank-top that showed off her upper-figure rather nicely…

Remus tip-toed behind her; even from a distance, he could hear the music she was listening to, and made a mental note to scold her later about how she shouldn't listen to music so loudly, lest she go deaf. But it was quite a soft song, so he put the thought out of his mind. His hand reached forward, and, instead of resting on Tonks's shoulder, it reached past to swipe at the chocolate icing so that he could suck the confectionary off of his fingertip.

Unfortunately, Tonks caught sight of him. She instantly pulled her earphones out, and spun around; but, being naturally clumsy, she over-balanced – and landed in his arms.

Their surprise was evident on their faces; thinking that he could lighten the mood, Remus stuck his chocolate covered tongue out at her, his smile broad and his eyes aglow with merry amusement as he rolled them at her. Tonks huffed, mocking exasperation as she rolled her own eyes.

Harry looked up from the cake he had finally covered – and was now covering with the marzipan decorations – and felt his eyes widen and his eyebrows raise till they looked like they would disappear into his hairline at the sight of Remus and Tonks holding each other close. He relaxed as he saw Remus stick out his tongue teasingly, and roll his eyes at the young woman, who laid a hand on the werewolf's hip as she huffed in mock exasperation. He grinned happily as Remus jumped at the small gesture of Tonks's small, soft hand on his hip, which made Tonks jump, too. His heart leapt as he saw Remus mutter something and duck his head down, his fringe landing boyishly in his eyes. Tonks unconsciously reached a hand up to brush it away; the skin-on-skin contact coaxed a smile out of Remus again, and Harry saw him bend down a little more; Tonks, realising what he was trying to communicate to her, laughed softly, and swept up to reply to the gesture.

Their lips crushed together, and Harry felt as if he could have danced the can-can around the room, there and then, as the two tightened their holds on one-another, swaying on the spot. They broke apart after a few moments; they laughed, cuddling together, as if the feelings they'd harboured on each other had finally been truly realised and they were releasing mental frustration at wondering in a bout of happiness. He sighed happily, and turned back to the cake.

The sight of his godson's deceased parents slowly swaying on the spot as they danced together in the photograph instantly reminded him of the day they had kindled their forever-lasting love. He winced at the memories of seeing their bodies, pale and calm – as if they were asleep beneath the starry sky – of seeing them in many intimate ways over the years, of seeing Nymphadora Tonks pleading with Remus Lupin that he wasn't too old, too poor and too dangerous, that she loved him… Of witnessing their first kiss, which had made feel like he could leap around like a happy leprechaun… He placed the photo back in the box, swallowing deeply over the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes in sadness of those particular memories. But a salty taste in his mouth made him realise that he had started crying, and he bowed his head, shaking with silent sobs that his godson would grow up like him: without knowing his parents properly, only through photos and stories from family and family friends.

But there was a difference with Teddy Lupin. He would always know that it was over his favourite Christmas confectionary and Christmas song that his parents had fallen in love. Shuddering, Harry Potter managed a small smile as he shivered, shrinking the box so that he could place it in his pocket to take downstairs, and keep in his bedroom, whenever he needed reminding of his loyalty to Remus and Tonks, Christmas and Yule logs. He chuckled in a watery way as he expressed the amusing thought of doubting his loyalty to a good old Yule log at Christmas time.

**The End**


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